As expected, the Cubs on Friday tendered contracts to all four of their arbitration-eligible players, including Jake Arrieta. But they non-tendered four pre-arbitration players to make room on the 40-man roster ahead of next week's Winter Meetings.
Beginning Monday, MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.
Besides Arrieta, the Cubs tendered contracts to relievers Héctor Rondón, Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm, all of whom are now considered signed for 2017 at a salary to be determined via the arbitration process unless a deal can be reached prior to a hearing. Had they not been tendered contracts before Friday's deadline, they would have become free agents.
• Hot Stove Tracker
That was the case Friday for four players on the 40-man roster who were not yet eligible for arbitration: left-handers Gerardo Concepción and Zac Rosscup, right-hander Conor Mullee and infielder Christian Villanueva. Those moves cut the Cubs' 40-man roster to 35 players, including lefty Brian Duensing, who signed a one-year free-agent contract earlier in the day.
Of the players cut loose, Rosscup had the most experience, making 61 relief appearances with the Cubs from 2013-15. Concecpion made three appearances for the 2016 World Series champions, and Mullee appeared in the big leagues for the Yankees.